Hydro Ottawa/Hydro One/Hydro Québec

[eternallyme]

One thing for sure, Hydro Ottawa needs to cover the remaining areas within city limits.

Honestly I would dissolve Hydro One (just shut it down, not sell it) and give municipalities and existing private companies the full province, since that company is so thoroughly corrupt (and multiple governments are to blame, it's been a problem for 30+ years) that it is not worth saving or selling. Maybe create a smaller utility for the most remote parts of Ontario that would otherwise be unserviced.

[Buggys]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

You know, if Hydro Ottawa is doing so well.. maybe than can finally add pre-authorized credit card payments to their list of payment options.

I've always been annoyed by how power companies (and from my experience, this applies to Hydro Ottawa, Utilities Kingston, and Hydro One) have direct debit from bank accounts (which I will never do) as their only free pre-authorized payment option, and will charge a service fee if you want to use PAP with a credit card.

Whereas the phone companies, cable companies, water heater companies, and natural gas companies all offer credit card pre-authorized payments without any service charges.

You have to pay to pay the City of Ottawa for water via credit card.

[nredding]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

You know, if Hydro Ottawa is doing so well.. maybe than can finally add pre-authorized credit card payments to their list of payment options.

I've always been annoyed by how power companies (and from my experience, this applies to Hydro Ottawa, Utilities Kingston, and Hydro One) have direct debit from bank accounts (which I will never do) as their only free pre-authorized payment option, and will charge a service fee if you want to use PAP with a credit card.

Whereas the phone companies, cable companies, water heater companies, and natural gas companies all offer credit card pre-authorized payments without any service charges.

Credit card companies charge a percentage transaction fee, while direct bank transfers don't cost anything. That's why Hydro doesn't take them.

[DarthVader_1961]

Originally Posted by nredding

Credit card companies charge a percentage transaction fee, while direct bank transfers don't cost anything. That's why Hydro doesn't take them.

Many businesses will not take credit cards because of the absurd transaction fees

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by nredding

Credit card companies charge a percentage transaction fee, while direct bank transfers don't cost anything. That's why Hydro doesn't take them.

Ya.. but if Wind, Rogers, Reliance, Enbridge, etc. can all pay the credit card fees, why can't Hydro?

With Hydro making profits of over $20 million a year, they can afford to give its customers the convenience of credit card PAP.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by DarthVader_1961

Many businesses will not take credit cards because of the absurd transaction fees

They're not as crazy as people think they are. In fact, in many cases, credit & debit is actually cheaper for business to accept than cash, because of all the time it takes to have to count the cash, roll up all the coins, run to the bank to deposit it, etc.

[DarthVader_1961]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

They're not as crazy as people think they are. In fact, in many cases, credit & debit is actually cheaper for business to accept than cash, because of all the time it takes to have to count the cash, roll up all the coins, run to the bank to deposit it, etc.

http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/declined-wa...-ont-1.2991346

Walmart must be getting reemed then

[1overcosc]

^ It's nothing more than Walmart playing hardball to get Visa to give them a better deal.

[rocketphish]

This thing is massive!



Another superior photo by Chuck Clark on Flickr
October 15, 2016

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

One thing for sure, Hydro Ottawa needs to cover the remaining areas within city limits.

Honestly I would dissolve Hydro One (just shut it down, not sell it) and give municipalities and existing private companies the full province, since that company is so thoroughly corrupt (and multiple governments are to blame, it's been a problem for 30+ years) that it is not worth saving or selling. Maybe create a smaller utility for the most remote parts of Ontario that would otherwise be unserviced.

So you are happy to subsidize rural neighbours because we are all in one city?

[Requin]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

So you are happy to subsidize rural neighbours because we are all in one city?

Not all of Hydro One's Ottawa customers are rural. The Orleans customers, for example, are cash cows for Hydro One. This is why Hydro One refuses to give them up.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

So you are happy to subsidize rural neighbours because we are all in one city?

I do, and I see this as a logical consequence of being in one city. But that goes both ways. So while I have sympathy for residents of Ottawa who pay more for hydro, I have zero sympathy for their opposition to paying an equal share of the stormwater budget. (I wouldn't be surprised if many of the "rain tax" whiners are among the first to complain about hydro costs. Hypocrites...)

[JCL]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

So you are happy to subsidize rural neighbours because we are all in one city?

I live in Orleans and where I live is under Hydro One. Is is fair for me to pay more than others in Ottawa who is under Hydro One??

[acottawa]

I tend to think either everyone should pay the same rate or everyone should pay a rate in line with delivering their service. But with the weird system we have, I don't see why hydro Ottawa customers should have to pay extra to acquire customers from another utility.

[casper]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

They're not as crazy as people think they are. In fact, in many cases, credit & debit is actually cheaper for business to accept than cash, because of all the time it takes to have to count the cash, roll up all the coins, run to the bank to deposit it, etc.

There is a labour costs associated with handling cash and cheques. There is also a transaction cost charged by the bank to process a cheque and fees charged by the bank for processing cash. The business that complain about credit card fees generally do not analyse the labour costs of a non-automated paper based system or they are working with high ticket values. I would expect a power utility where the average bill is under $300 for credit cards to be cheaper than cash or cheques.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by JCL

I live in Orleans and where I live is under Hydro One. Is is fair for me to pay more than others in Ottawa who is under Hydro One??

I guess the question is is it fair for me to pay so that you pay the same as others? If you are urban are you sure you are paying more? The Toronto Star did a electricity cost comparison and dense Hydro One was listed as cheaper than Ottawa Hydro.

[waterloowarrior]

Great photo Chuck!

[acottawa]

Interesting article in the globe on Ontario's electricity gong show.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...mpaign_id=A100

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Interesting article in the globe on Ontario's electricity gong show.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...mpaign_id=A100

I thought that was the best overview I have seen on the issue.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I thought that was the best overview I have seen on the issue.

Originally Posted by acottawa

Interesting article in the globe on Ontario's electricity gong show.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...mpaign_id=A100

Very well done article. The only real omission is the recent (2016) introduction of the Ontario Electricity Support Program which provides substantial subsidies to hydro bills for low income families... seems like something that should have been mentioned in their paragraph about the various things the government is doing to attack the hydro monster.

It also really shows how the Liberal approach to the file, going all the way back to 2003, has really been one of good ideas and terrible execution. A good tale of caution for future governments.